Playback transfer of 24 track masters

[Northwinds]

Any of you tape cats out there have the means to play a 2" 24 track master and transfer to a 24 track digital copy. A friend who founded the band Cirith Ungol and I are discussing transfer of ownership of all their masters since he and the band don't want them. I would need to have an archive digital 24 track copy made if I get them and then I would want them broken down to CD-R, 10" RTR or DAT/Minidisc for longterm archival storage. I want to preserve this stuff for the next generation

You only get one shot to record with these since they are baked so you have to know what your doing and have the right equipment. Thanks in advance, I would work something out to reimburse for your services

EDIT: The band was done when Jerry Fogle died. My buddy Rob has not picked up drumsticks since and Greg has moved on in life and Tim is doing his own thing. I correspond with Rob a lot, he lives in Ventura, CA. I asked Navo if he knew him but I guess they have never met

Anyway, I have quite a collection of Cirth Ungol items from test pressings to signed albums, original showbills, backstage passes, business cards stickers etc... and Rob is looking into the legality of just transferring ownership to one of their oldest fans and friends of the band. This should not be a problem for the master for the album Frost and Fire because Liquid Flames Records is long gone. The other albums were released through Enigma/Metalblade and their subsidiary labels so we are looking into that. Fortunately I have another friend under contract to Metal Blade (John Arch of Arch/Matheos formerly Fates Warning) and he is great friends with the label's owner so crossing fingers on King of the Dead, One Foot in Hell and Paradise Lost. He is already sending me the original demo cassette of their early material, some obscure live recordings from back when they did cover songs of Mountain and other never released tracks

Just wanted to give you some background and why this is important to me

 

[NavLinear]

That is some cool stuff Ron and getting it right the first time will take a serious set up. The 2 inch 24 track tape deck is a monster recorder and who knows how many are alive and well. I'm wondering if Bob Boyer may have some connections to something like this. His stories are fascinating in regards to the recording industry.

Keep us posted - this would be a great way to save and maybe even market this music.

 

[Northwinds]

I don't think I would market any of it, just want to preserve it. Metal Blade has already re-released picture discs of One Foot in Hell and King of the Dead. To my knowledge, they have not reissued Paradise Lost which is a very pricy album to own if you can find a copy. I was lucky and got mine when it first came out, I think only 500 copies were made of the lp while the majority of the release was cassette and CD

EDIT: This is weird, I can see my thread here on the front page in posted in threads section but when I click on this sub forum Tapes and Decks I don't see my thread???? WTF???

 

[Bob Boyer]

For my money, your go-to dude should be Chris Mara, who owns Welcome to 1979 Studios in Nashville. Great guy, nice setup with MCI JH-16 and JH-24 2" machines and all the digital conversion gear you could want. Prices are pretty reasonable for such, as well.

You can find him here: http://welcometo1979.com/Home.html and from this link from his "What We Do" page: http://www.analoganywhere.com/Home.html

Basically, you'd have to send him the tapes and ask for the transfer to digital for CD and mini-disc. I'd also suggest going the full monty and have the 24 tracks preserved as 24 bit/192kz aiff or wav files that can be stored across multiple computers, hard drives and flash drives for more protection. If you're going to try to get to 1/4" Reel to Reel, you're going to have to pay for mixdown to two tracks, however, so keep that in mind.

PM me if you have more questions. He's worth a phone call, especially given the sensitive nature of the tapes. You might also check out this thread on TapeHeads.net about an alternative tape preservation trick for tapes that might need baking: http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=13954

Good luck.

Bob

 

[Bob Boyer]

EDIT: This is weird, I can see my thread here on the front page in posted in threads section but when I click on this sub forum Tapes and Decks I don't see my thread???? WTF???

I get the same thing. It's a sorting anomaly on this forum only, it seems. Hit the "Last Post By" link on the top right of the forum twice to get it to sort to the latest posted-to threads.

 

[Northwinds]

Thanks Bob, I will look into this as soon as they are in my hands. I was contacted by a local guy who is interested in a guitar I own in trade for a working/maintained a Otari MTR-90. I guess he has two of them and live about and hour and a half away from me. Looks like this one from a borrowed image I found!! Supposedly all calibrated and everything, heads are guaranteed 90% life left, new capstans etc... just where the hell would I put something like that????

Can you imagine having one of these hooked to your home system LMAO!!!!

 

[NavLinear]

For my money, your go-to dude should be Chris Mara, who owns Welcome to 1979 Studios in Nashville. Great guy, nice setup with MCI JH-16 and JH-24 2" machines and all the digital conversion gear you could want. Prices are pretty reasonable for such, as well.

You can find him here: http://welcometo1979.com/Home.html and from this link from his "What We Do" page: http://www.analoganywhere.com/Home.html

Basically, you'd have to send him the tapes and ask for the transfer to digital for CD and mini-disc. I'd also suggest going the full monty and have the 24 tracks preserved as 24 but/192kz aiff or wav files that can be stored across multiple computers, hard drives and flash drives for more protection. If you're going to try to get to 1/4" Reel to Reel, you're going to have to pay for mixdown to two tracks, however, so keep that in mind.

PM me if you have more questions. He's worth a phone call, especially given the sensitive nature of the tapes. You might also check out this thread on TapeHeads.net about an alternative tape preservation trick for tapes that might need baking: http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=13954

Good luck.

Bob

Hey Bob,

What a cool place 1979 is - thanks for providing the link. I've read through most of the site and followed a couple of links and here's one from YouTube that I especially liked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1H_-Hel8ZY

Chris Mara obviously knows what he's doing and I love his use of vintage hardware and his use of the occasional new piece like the AEA R88 stereo ribbon mic.

Dennis

 

[Nick Danger]

Can you imagine having one of these hooked to your home system LMAO!!!!

Yes. Yes I could, Ron.

 

[Web Police]

Thanks Bob, I will look into this as soon as they are in my hands. I was contacted by a local guy who is interested in a guitar I own in trade for a working/maintained a Otari MTR-90. I guess he has two of them and live about and hour and a half away from me. Looks like this one from a borrowed image I found!! Supposedly all calibrated and everything, heads are guaranteed 90% life left, new capstans etc... just where the hell would I put something like that????

Can you imagine having one of these hooked to your home system LMAO!!!!

Lee would probably hook it up to 12 WOPLS and a dozen pair of Korner Horns.

 

[NavLinear]

That must be called an Oxide Behemoth. Yeah - where would you put that Ron? Thinking out loud I wonder what the resale market is for a 24 track deck...

 

[Nick Danger]

For my money, your go-to dude should be Chris Mara, who owns Welcome to 1979 Studios in Nashville. Great guy, nice setup with MCI JH-16 and JH-24 2" machines and all the digital conversion gear you could want. Prices are pretty reasonable for such, as well.

You can find him here: http://welcometo1979.com/Home.html and from this link from his "What We Do" page: http://www.analoganywhere.com/Home.html

Basically, you'd have to send him the tapes and ask for the transfer to digital for CD and mini-disc. I'd also suggest going the full monty and have the 24 tracks preserved as 24 but/192kz aiff or wav files that can be stored across multiple computers, hard drives and flash drives for more protection. If you're going to try to get to 1/4" Reel to Reel, you're going to have to pay for mixdown to two tracks, however, so keep that in mind.

PM me if you have more questions. He's worth a phone call, especially given the sensitive nature of the tapes. You might also check out this thread on TapeHeads.net about an alternative tape preservation trick for tapes that might need baking: http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=13954

Good luck.

Bob

My dream tape deck is this Mara-built beauty:

Woof.

 

[Northwinds]

That must be called an Oxide Behemoth. Yeah - where would you put that Ron? Thinking out loud I wonder what the resale market is for a 24 track deck...

Not too much in comparison to what they are worth. $1000-$5000 seems to be the range for working ones if you look hard. He was asking just under $2k for the Ontari. I think if it was made today, they would be $20k+ or more

Debbie is already giving me the side eye when she saw a picture of it, looks as big as my stereo stand LMAO!!!

Webby, Lee could use a WOPL for each channel and get a little more out of it!!!!!!!!

I called around today to a few local recording studios seeing if I can a free one, so far nobody has one or seen one in quite awhile. There si a place up in MA that's upposedly uses this stuff still for making recordings and transferring to 24 track digital masters

Bob, that article about the Nu-finish stuff is cool but I don't think I would attempt that myself if they suffer SSS. I would leave it in anothers hands and insure them first!!!! They are priceless recordings so if they can be preserved, I am in!!!!

 

[BubbaH]

Nu Finish treatment might be something to consider after you have made transfers of the tapes. Preserve the originals a little longer before they are completely useless.

 

[Northwinds]

Funny as hell, I look to the left and there is a bottle of Nu-Finish on my shelf still (I use it on guitars). That's a longtime favorite with guitars. Dude says shit last many years once treated Ben, I would try (have someone else do it that knows what the heck they are doing) that before baking I think??? If they tapes have SSS you won't be able to get a good recording/playback anyway

 

[BubbaH]

Baking, from my understanding, is a 1 time recovery effort. Tapes can become sticky again. As well as fall off the back coating. Rendering them completely useless at that point. There used to be a couple other members over there at TH that were right into the Nufinish treatment. Ggoat I think his name was, claimed to have invented the method some time ago and is still using the very same tapes. How true that is remains unknown. Anyone can feel free to correct me if my recollection of SSS is out of whack.

 

[Nick Danger]

Correct, Ben. Nu Finish should be applied shortly after baking to better preserve the tape in question. The baking is a short- term solution so that the contents can be copied before it is lost. Supposedly the Nu Finish will allow you to use the tape as normal after that, but for how long, remains to be seen.

 

[Northwinds]

Correct, Ben. Nu Finish should be applied shortly after baking to better preserve the tape in question. The baking is a short- term solution so that the contents can be copied before it is lost. Supposedly the Nu Finish will allow you to use the tape as normal after that, but for how long, remains to be seen.

Maybe I will send them to you w/ a bottle of Nu-Finish Doug!!!

How does one "bake" a tape? 185 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown? LMAO!!!!

 

[Nick Danger]

Maybe I will send them to you w/ a bottle of Nu-Finish Doug!!!

How does one "bake" a tape? 185 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown? LMAO!!!!

If I had a deck that could drag that phatty 2" tape, I would be glad to do it for you. Pehaps whomever you choose to do the transfer for you has experience with this and could do the Nu finish applications for you.

 

[BubbaH]

Here's some material regarding baking for you Ron,

http://www.tangible-technology.com/tape/baking1.html

http://www.youramerica.net/tapebake.htm

 

[Bob Boyer]

My dream tape deck is this Mara-built beauty:

Woof.

Indeed. The JH-110s are schweeeet. I think I'd like mine with 1/2" heads, though, even with the tape expense. Ah well, I just need to go get my ATR-700 completely up to snuff and be done with it.